Thirty Words
by Halfsan
Summary: A series of oneshots, all based on prompt words. Ratings may vary. Mostly Garry/Ib fluff. Rated T to be on the safe side. .::. Prompt #10: Hair - Garry's hair had always had two colors, but Ib never thought to ask why-until now.
1. Introduction

**I've been having a bit of a writers' block as of late, and desperately wanted to create more Ib fanfiction. I found a list of prompt words and it's really helped me so far. So here's the list of words I found. Each word will be used to write short stories about Ib. Some of these are really short. Some of them are not so short. But regardless, I hope you all enjoy.**

**(oh my! I go to post this and I notice an Ib category has been added! Friggin' sweet!)**

List updated: 5/15/13

**Bold:** Written (*****Posted)  
_Italic_: Not written, but thought out

My prompt words are...

1. ***Rose**  
2. ***Children**  
3. ***Garden**  
4. ***Voice**  
5. ***Face**  
6. ***Dance**  
7. _Scarf_  
8. ***Cut**  
9. ***Sometimes**  
10. *******Hair**  
11. ***Unexpected**  
12. ***Valentine**  
13. ***Lost**  
14. ***Tear**  
15. ***Proposal**  
16. _Opposites_  
17. ***Gone**  
18. **Joke**  
19. ***Forceful**  
20. ***Song**  
21. _Light_  
22. ***Smile**  
23. ***Breasts**  
24. _Angel_  
25. ***Reincarnate**  
26. ***Passion**  
27. _Alcohol_  
28. _Complaint_  
29. ***Family**  
30. _Stars_

**Continue on with the next chapter to get started! Thanks for reading!**


	2. 1: Rose

**Prompt Word #1: Rose  
**

* * *

Ib glanced down at the small, red key in her hands. The key she had gotten from a man lying down in the hallway opposite the one she currently stood in. He had been in a lot of pain, barely giving a response to Ib's calls. She even tried rubbing his shoulders, but he just pleaded her to stop. When she rounded the corner, she noticed a bunch of blue rose petals on the ground. They lead her away from the door that she was probably supposed to use that key on. Then the sight of blood made her uneasy. It was only a little, but it made Ib's stomach churn.

Her eyes set on the golden plaque on the wall. Ib's eyes narrowed to better read the text—she didn't want to set foot near that pool of blood—and saw that it read "Lady in Blue." She quirked a brow, when she didn't see the painting it spoke of. Swallowing a sudden lump in her throat, she took the key and shoved it in the keyhole she had passed up. The room wasn't that big at all.

"Loves me... loves me not... loves me... loves me not," a voice repeated over and over again. When Ib looked to her left, she saw something that horrified her. A lady in blue—_the _Lady in Blue—sitting alone in the corner of the room. The smile on her face was so wide, she was nearly drooling. Whatever was in her hands seemed to fascinate her to no end.

Ib wanted to get a closer look, as to what she held might hold some importance. The painting lady seemed focused on whatever she had in her hands, so Ib made slow steps to her. All the while, the Lady in Blue kept repeating that "Loves me, loves me not," saying.

Suddenly, the lady's piercing icy blue eyes locked with Ib's crimson ones. Ib skidded to a halt, taking a single step back, still trying to figure out what the painting lady had that was so important.

"You.." the Lady in Blue pointed a finger at her, her teeth baring against each other. "You can't have him! He's mine, you hear me! _Mine!"_She tossed the thing in her hands aside and crawled towards Ib with unfathomable speed. Ib did a complete 180, nearly tripping over her own feet and bolted out the door. Slamming it shut behind her, Ib pressed against it with her back, putting a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart.

She almost felt it stop when she heard pounding at the window. And then she was positive it _did _stop when the Lady in Blue smashed through the glass.

"He's mine... mine... mine.." the painting lady repeated over and over again, crawling at Ib. She almost dashed away, when the image of the object the Lady in Blue had flashed in her mind. She threw it aside, so Ib quickly entered the room once again. She read in a book that the creatures in this gallery couldn't open doors, but she wasted no time. Ib made her way to the object and carefully put it between her fingertips. It was a rose—a very vibrant color of blue at that—but it was horribly whithered, with only one petal clinging dearly to it.

Ib shook her head, leaving her musing behind. Not even looking back, she wrenched the knob and swung the door open, dashing to the end of the hallway, into the center room. When she was finally in a place where she felt safe, she inspected the nearly dead rose. The bright blue of a painting to Ib's left brought her out of her thoughts. It was a painting of a fully bloomed blue rose, sitting in a vase. She got closer to read the title, "Eternal Blessing." Then she saw the vase she'd used earlier to return her rose to health.

She carefully placed the blue flower in the sparkling water, and watched how the stalk quickly regained its posture, turning a bright emerald green. The petals had returned, and Ib noticed it had many more than her red rose.

_When the rose ? ? ?, so too will you ? ? ? away._

Ib didn't know some of those words. But she had a basic idea of what those papers were telling her, since each time her rose lost a petal, she felt pain surge through her body. Ib took the blue rose from the vase, admiring how beautiful it was. Then she had a thought. Ib made her way to the other hallway, and she saw the man from before struggle to get up.

"The..pain's gone?" he mumbled to himself. Ib got closer to him, and he finally noticed her. His eyes widened with terror. "EEEEK!" He jumped backwards, almost stumbling from the sudden movement. "What is it this time? I've got nothing left!"

Ib tried really hard not to laugh at the man's scream. She never thought she'd hear such a sound come out of a man. Instead, she extended her tiny hand out to the man, which held the blue rose—his blue rose, she assumed.

"This is yours, isn't it?" Ib asked. The man's eyes softened a little bit, carefully taking steps forward and plucking the rose from her fingertips.

"Y-yes," he stammered. "Thank you. Thank you very much." The man gave Ib a wide smile. She decided that she liked it.

* * *

**First prompt word was "rose," so fitting for this series, haha. This story is just based on the scene where Ib meets Garry for the first time. Not all of these oneshots are gonna be like that. I think I really just wanted to write about the Lady in Blue drooling over Garry. Heh. Well, anyway, stay tuned for more! Thanks for reading!**


	3. 26: Passion

**I've decided that I'm going to post these in my own order. I'm writing them all out of order, so I think I'm going to post them out of order as well. (: So anyway, I didn't know which one to post, so at the request of garrys-wife on tumblr, here's the next one!**

**(oh and remember that T rating I gave this challenge? Yeah, totally applies for this chapter riiight here. Don't worry, nothing graphic!)**

**Prompt Word #26: Passion**

* * *

He would pick her flowers. Red roses, and blue roses, since they were so important to them. She would thank him, and wrap her arms around his neck, like always. He would return her embrace, and then give her a peck on the lips. After a fit of nervous giggles from her, he'd give her another kiss. And another. And another. Until soon they were both participating in a heated war of tongues.

His hands would rest on her hips while hers traveled up his chest and settling on his shoulders. She would angle her head to deepen their kiss, and he would begin moving with her to lay down. She was on her back, and he was straddling her, their lips never parting. His hand slipped underneath the fabric of her shirt, gently caressing his thumb on her hipbone. He could feel her shudder and he enjoyed the moan that escaped her throat.

Her legs wrapped themselves around his waist, and he let his other hand rest on her bare thigh, slowly traveling up the smooth, pale flesh. The way she squirmed underneath him only made him want more. He wanted to hear her scream, hear her beg.

Their lips parted, and he trailed his mouth down to her neck, grazing his teeth against her sensitive flesh. Her hands wrapped around his head, tangling her fingers in his hair. His lips pressed firmly against her neck and ran his tongue over it a few times, before he began sucking at her skin. She gasped, angling her head so he could have better access.

His right hand rested at her thigh, his fingertips threatened to wander underneath her skirt, and his free hand traveled up her body, all the way to her shoulder. He trailed it down her arm, and met her hand, intertwining their fingers together.

"G..Garry..."

...

"Garry?" Ib's voice called to him.

Garry sat up from his couch, blinking in surprise. His face was burning up—due to the massive blush that now covered it, he presumed—and his level of arousal was skyrocketing. His trembling hand pulled at the covers, bunching them up at his waist. He swallowed hard.

Finally, his gaze set on Ib. "You were rolling around a bunch," she explained. "Were you having a bad dream?"

"N-not a nightmare," Garry explained to her, still trying to hide his arousal. He felt like the entire blanket wasn't enough. "Just a... just a _weird _dream."

Weird? Yes. Bad? ...maybe not _so_ bad...

* * *

**Ha! Yeah, in Garry's dream, you can choose whether or not Ib is still nine years old in the dream. But in the waking world, she is. I, personally, like to think she's still nine in the dream because I'm a total Ibcon... er, I mean, it makes Garry feel awkward, and I like making Garry feel awkward. :3 Anyway, thanks so much for reading, and stay tuned for more!**

**Also, if you drop a review, please leave a little note about which prompt you'd like to read about next. :3 I appreciate it. **


	4. 25: Reincarnate

**That last one was a bit on the short side. This one is definitely longer. Anyway, I'd like to thank sharkoal for helping me decide which to post next. I decided with Reincarnate. So, on with the story!**

**Prompt Word #25: Reincarnate**

* * *

Ib happily finished off the final bit of her macaroon, the promptly downing it with her last swig of apple juice. Across from her sat Garry, who had long ago finished his pastries and coffee, and was just now snuffing out his cigarette. His head turned away to blow out the cloud of smoke away from Ib's general direction.

She liked coming to the cafe with Garry. The macaroons were tasty, and she really enjoyed carrying conversations with her companion. It was routine for them to always go to the cafe, always order the same thing, and always pick the same table to sit at. The two of them had unconsciously chosen this table because of one feature it had. All of the tables had a vase with some flowers in it. On theirs, was a vase full of roses. Yellow roses.

Ib glanced down at the table in thought. "You ever think about Mary?" she asked suddenly. Every time she saw those yellow roses, she couldn't help but think of the blonde-haired blue-eyed girl that lived in the Fabricated World.

"Sometimes," Garry said, resting his elbow on the table to hold his head up with his palm. "Apart from her going a little...insane... she really was a sweet girl. Just trying to make a friend."

That was true. Mary's actions were wrong, but she had probably suffered from rejection from other "visitors" far too often. So much so, that she had to become a little more _persuasive_. Ib truly felt bad for the girl. Sometimes Ib would imagine Mary sitting with her and Garry, chomping down on macaroons and just talking about practically nothing. Just talking, having a good time, things like that. Ib sighed.

Mary had only wanted a friend. And Ib really wanted to be her friend. Garry, too.

"Do you ever feel bad about.. you know." Ib trailed off, turning her attention elsewhere.

"If we hadn't," Garry began in a low voice, "she probably would have.. would have killed us." Garry tried to think of a more delicate way of putting it, but that was the cold and ugly truth.

Ib absentmindedly reached for her can of apple juice and turned it upside down above her lips, trying to get any remaining liquid out of the can. She was suddenly thirsty.

"Garry, can I get another drink?" Ib asked.

"Certainly." With that, her and Garry stood up, pushed in their chairs and made their way to the counter. The two of them waited in line patiently, the person ahead of them taking their sweet time.

"Mommy, please, can you get me a macaroon, _pleeeease_?" A voice of a bubbly girl sounded behind Ib. They had just taken a spot in line behind them, waiting to order.

"Honey, we came here to pick up some desserts for your sick brother," her mother—at least, Ib presumed as much—responded regrettably. "I don't have a whole lot of money on me, either."

Ib stole a glance behind her. And her jaw fell open. She saw bright, blue eyes begin filling with tears and very familiar blonde locks falling in her face. Her clothing was different—this girl wore a white long sleeve shirt with a blue scarf around her neck. At her hips swayed a green plaid skirt. And the more Ib thought, the more her voice even sounded familiar. Her hand grasped Garry's coat, and tugged at it.

"Hm? What is—w-whoa.." Garry stopped himself as he caught sight of the girl behind them. Her pouting face was just like _hers_ when she was upset. Ib recalled how sad _she _got when she answered the blonde girl's hypothetical question in the gallery. Ib had told her she would sacrifice herself, and the look of horror on her face was almost exactly like the pouting girl before them.

"She..." Ib began in a quiet voice, finally tearing her eyes off the familiar girl to look up at Garry. "She looks _just _like Mary, doesn't she?"

"Y-yeah," he said, swallowing his stomach back in place.

"But _Mommy_!" the girl had argued.

"Honey, please don't throw a fit," her mother said, a slight groan in her voice. "I told you, I don't have the money."

Ib's gaze settled on the bills in Garry's hand. Her fingertips slipped them from his hands, and when he felt her tug at it, he released his light grip. Garry smiled at Ib as she walked over and handed the money over to the crying girl.

"Here you go," Ib said, giving the girl her bright smile. "I changed my mind. You can have it."

The girl's bloodshot eyes widened at Ib. She looked at the money in her hand. Then back to her face. Then back to the money. Then she looked to her mother, "Mommy, can I?"

Her mother gave Ib a light smile, "yes. What a nice young lady. Thank you." The girl's mother stole a glance at Garry. "You raised a good girl."

Garry fought back a laugh, politely smiling at the woman instead. Ignorance was bliss.

The blonde girl slowly reached her hand out and took the bill from Ib's hand, "thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Her mouth formed into a huge grin. Just like Mary's.

"You're welcome," Ib said, gesturing her hand in a way that said 'it was nothing.' She cupped a hand over her mouth and whispered, "get a strawberry macaroon. It's _sooo _yummy!"

With that, Ib waved the girl goodbye, and she and Garry let her and her mother have their spot in line.

* * *

**And there you have it! Also, a little note to shamanhearts.. I'll try and post "Complaint" here soon, but that's one of the ones I haven't gotten a chance to write yet, though I do have an idea of what I want in it. I think what I'll do is put an edit in the first chapter of this story where the list of prompt words are, and indicate the ones I've written so far, and the ones I have ideas for. So if you'd like, you can check back there. But as always, thank you all for reading and reviewing. Until next time!**


	5. 11: Unexpected

**Here's the next oneshot I decided to post. I want to just go ahead and thank everyone who's reviewed so far. It makes my heart melt into a bunch of marshmallows to see all of your kind words. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Anyway, this oneshot's a bit on the short side, but it's actually one of my favorites that I wrote. Heh. Hope you enjoy!**

**Prompt Word #11: Unexpected**

* * *

Garry never did anything abrupt. He was usually very predictable; however, something that he did today was still tugging at Ib. It was like any other day, really. Garry met her outside after school, like always, and then they walked to his apartment. They sat at his couch, munching on the macaroons that he bought earlier. Occasional chat was tossed back and forth, when their mouths weren't filled with delicious pastries.

Ib stole a glance at her friend, loving the way he looked when he ate macaroons. She always loved the way he looked, as long as he was happy. His attention was set on the TV in front of them, so while Garry was distracted, Ib took this moment to inspect his features. Even though half of it was covered by his bangs, she loved his face. His striking blue eyes that always looked into hers when they talked. His strong, sharp jaw that could form the most gentle smile.

Garry's attention was suddenly on her, and Ib flushed. The heat flooded her face and Garry gave her a smirk.

"What are you staring at?" he asked, grinning at her.

"Ah..! Er," she stammered. Ib was about to turn her attention elsewhere, until she saw a few bits of macaroon lingering on the side of Garry's mouth. She quickly used that to her advantage. "You have some macaroon on your face. Hold still."

Garry did just that, as Ib reached with her tiny hands, swiping her forefinger along the bits of the pastry. She figured that was the end of that, but Garry's hand gently took her by the wrist. The contact gave Ib a strange sensation in her stomach, but it wasn't bad. Her curious maroon eyes locked with his blue, and that was when Garry did something unexpected.

Still keeping his eyes on hers, Garry took her finger in his mouth. Ib felt her insides swap places and all of the blood rushed to her face. She felt his tongue rub against the tip of her finger, to get the bits of macaroon she'd salvaged. Her hand trembled as Garry slid more of her finger in his mouth, his tongue now swirling around the digit, and she could feel his hot mouth suck on it.

As sudden as it had happened, Garry released her hand. Ib simply stared at him, retracting her hand to cradle it with her other trying to calm it from shaking.

Garry licked his lips. He punctuated it with a silly grin.

That was definitely weird. But the more Ib thought about it, the more she didn't really mind it.

* * *

**Hehe, Garry was feeling a little daring, wasn't he? Hope you enjoyed this next part. As always, ****reviews are appreciated. I read them over and over again, they make me so happy, so thank you all. ^^ And remember, if you give a review, let me know which oneshot you'd like to see posted next. Refer to the "Introduction" chapter to see which ones have already been written. Thanks for reading!**

**I'm thinkin'... since this one was so short, I might post another short one here soon... we'll see what happens. ^^**


	6. 6: Dance

**God, you people are beautiful, you know that? This story is getting so much attention, and I light up with joy when my inbox is flooding with review alerts, story alerts, and the like. Thank you all so much! I hope you enjoy this next part, it's a bit longer! ^^**

**Prompt Word #6: Dance**

* * *

"Hey, Garry, do you know how to dance?"

It was certainly a random question. Garry looked over to Ib, who had just returned from the kitchen of his apartment with two cans of soda in hand. The only thing he could think that brought it on was the movie on TV that they weren't really watching. It was a high school prom scene, with lots of dancing people.

"You mean a style of dancing, like ballet? Or, just.." Garry trailed off when Ib pantomimed herself dancing with someone else, swaying her hips and then acting as if her invisible dance partner was twirling her. Garry chuckled when she almost lost her footing in the spin.

"You know, _dancing_," Ib emphasized. "Like when two people go out together, and then they start dancing. How is it they know how to dance? What if they didn't know?"

Garry laughed, "I think _that _kind of dancing is innate. People don't need special choreography in that kind of dancing, it all comes from the heart." Ib tilted her head.

"In..innate? Cor..Cor-e-ogg...ogg-graffy?" Garry fought back a smirk. She was so cute when she learned new words.

"Ah, innate is a skill people are born with. Like, you weren't taught to breathe, it's just something you already know," he explained. Ib nodded her head. "And choreography is just typically used in dance styles, showing how the dancers should move and such."

"I get it," she said, smiling as she set the two soda cans on the coffee table in front of the couch. She always loved enhancing her vocabulary. "So, do you know how to dance?"

Her question repeated itself and Garry found himself thinking about it for a long time. His head tilted back, staring up at the ceiling in deep thought, crossing his legs ankle-over-knee. He'd never danced in his life. But if what he thought was true, about dancing with someone being an innate behavior, then how hard could it be?

"Well, I've never had the pleasure to dance with another," he explained. "Why do you ask?"

Ib put a bashful hand to her cheek, fighting back the slightly embarrassed grin that threatened to spread across her face.

"Well, I wanted to learn how," she said, nervously twisting her body, and trying to cover the blush rising to her face. "And you teach me so much already, I thought..."

Garry loved the way Ib looked with her face flushed like that. The look of utter infatuation with another was very evident on her face, and he'd seen her like this a lot. Garry stood from his spot on the couch, thinking that maybe he knew just who intrigued her so much. And he knew for a fact that said person was also infatuated with her. After all, who wouldn't be? Ib was a very extraordinary young girl.

He extended his hand to her, "I can't teach you to dance," he explained, "but we can learn together."

Ib let her grin widen to its fullest. Her face became a bright scarlet as her hand went into his. Being so much taller than her—Ib's chin was about level to his hips—Garry thought attempting to dance with her would be awkward. He shrugged it off, thinking either way, it would be awkward, since the two of them had no idea what they were doing.

Their empty hands met, and they started off with basic swaying side-to-side. A rhythm was established and the two of them carried it quite well. Only once, Ib tripped over her feet, but Garry was aware of her movements and caught her. Her eyes went to the floor in embarrassment after her near-accident. Garry called her name and she looked back up at him. Her crimson colored eyes locked with his blue eyes for the longest time.

Garry released one of her hands, and pulled her into a spin. Ib twirled around a full three times before they resumed their basic swaying. When their free hands came together, their fingers intertwined with each other. Garry smirked at Ib, releasing both of her hands and hooking his under her arms. He picked Ib up with ease, gracefully—a lot more graceful than he thought he was capable of, actually—spinning his body while holding her up in the air.

Ib let out a surprised gasp the second her feet left the ground, but then giggled with excitement. Garry pulled her close to him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Dancing wasn't that hard.**  
**

* * *

**^^ Heh, out of all these little moments, I think my favorite part in this entire oneshot was writing about Ib pronouncing the word "choreography." Heh. Again, everyone, thank you so much for reading and reviewing! May Garry give all of you lovelies a blue rose and a kiss~! Take care!**


	7. 23: Breasts

**~insert lovey-dovey praise to all of my reviewers here~ I seriously love you all. I don't know how much more I can say it. I love you all. So here's the next part. My IRL friend, Shana wished to see this oneshot because she has a dirty mind... haha, no no, this chapter is actually pretty harmless, and I had fun writing it! We've made Garry feel awkward enough, so let's make Ib feel awkward.**

**Prompt Word #23: Breasts**

* * *

Ib headed for the school exit as the bell rang for the final time that day. All the while, that _uncomfortable, itching_ sensation surfaced again for possibly the millionth time that day. Usually, Ib treasured things given to her by her mother; this morning, however, when Ib's mother gave her.. _that _to wear, it made her feel weird.

All the while she walked, her arms were crossed over her chest, ignoring that itch she so desperately wanted to scratch. Around her shoulders, in the impossible spot to reach on her back, and underneath her—no, she didn't want to think about that! Her arms pressed more tightly around her chest. When she left for school that morning after putting _that _on, she noticed it made her look different. Maybe it was just her, but she noticed it, and if she noticed it, maybe her classmates would notice it.

"Good afternoon, Ib," came the voice of Garry, who was waiting for her outside the school gates. She bit at her lip, keeping her arms crossed. "How was school today?"

"Oh, it was..just like every other day," she responded. Normally she could talk to Garry about anything. But this..it was _way _too embarrassing. "But I finished all of my work today, so no homework." That part was true. Normally, she wasted time in school daydreaming about...someone... but her mind was elsewhere today. And the only way to get her mind off that itch begging to be tended to was to focus solely on her schoolwork.

"Great!" Garry exclaimed, flashing her one of his smiles that she loved so much. It was almost enough to take her mind off of _that. _"Shall we get going then?"

Ib nodded, and the two of them started walking. Garry made some small talk with her, and she responded with sounds of acknowledgement. Her mind was too focused on what her mother told her this morning.

-.-.-.-

"It's itchy!" Ib had complained to her. "And it just feels weird!"

"Ib, you're growing up," her mother explained. "Your body is changing, and this is something you need to adapt to that change."

"I don't like it," Ib pouted. "What if everyone _sees?_"

"Ib, every girl has to go through this at one point," her mother continued. "Trust me, you aren't the only one."

"Mamaaa!" Ib whined. The two of them argued over it so much that Ib was nearly late for school. Her mother won the argument, and even though Ib's mother had told her all of that stuff, Ib still felt like everyone could notice. And she felt like she was the only one.

-.-.-.-

"Ib, it's unladylike to keep your arms crossed like that," Garry suddenly chimed in, making her blush furiously. Her arms only tightened, and she wiped her sweaty hands on her sleeves. "Ib, is something the matter? You look a little... uh, bothered."

"I'm.. I'm fine," she lied. The blush in her cheeks was spreading through her whole face. The entire time, she could feel Garry's eyes on her. It immediately made her uncomfortable, since she figured he might eventually _see_...

"I find that hard to fathom," he admitted. "Something's wrong. Would you like to talk about it?"

Ib stiffened. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Ah, so there _is _something bothering you." Ib could hear the smirk in his voice. "Well, if you change your mind, you know I'm willing to listen."

The two of them continued on to Garry's apartment. The entire time, Ib kept her arms crossed and her eyes from Garry. Having to wear _this _was bad enough, but Garry was a boy. He didn't have to go through this, so he wouldn't understand.

Garry wrenched the knob to his apartment door open, and Ib made her way inside, kicking off her shoes at the entrance. Her arms never moved from their spot. Ib nervously sat herself on Garry's light blue couch, picking up the book that already sat on it, and opened it up. She wasn't reading it at all, she was just using it to cover her chest since her arms were so tired.

The book was closed shut by Garry, who took it from her. Ib crossed her arms, scarlet filling her cheeks once again.

"That book is beyond your level of reading, I'm afraid," he explained, taking a seat in the spot next to her. Garry wasted no time with his next remark, "Ib, do tell me what's troubling you. You know I don't like to see you upset."

Ib felt like her arms were made of jelly, so she pulled her legs up, resting her chin on her knees. She couldn't tell him. It was simply too embarrassing. Ib thought it was weird, Garry would probably think so too, since he was a boy. But Ib really _did _want to tell him, just so he'd understand why she was so bothered. If he was upset, then she was too, and vice-versa. So her uncomfortable feelings made him upset, which in turn made her upset. She sighed, sinking her head lower into her knees. Growing up was hard.

Ib jolted when she felt Garry's hand rest on her back and rub it up and down. Her blood turned to ice when his fingertips settled on the strap underneath her shirt. In a simple gesture to comfort Ib, he found out what was troubling her. Her flustered gaze met his, and she saw that Garry was his own shade of crimson. His trembling hand slowly removed itself from her back.

"O-oh," he stammered. "T-that's what's bothering you, isn't it?

After a long moment of silence, Ib finally spoke up, pulling her knees closer. "Mama made me wear it. Said I was changing. Ugh, but it feels so weird and it itches and... and..."

Ib simply let out a frustrated growl to finish her explanation. This thing annoyed her to no end. She knew grown-ups wore them, too, but she didn't get _how _they could deal with it after ten minutes.

"Well, ah," Garry began, clearing his throat. Ib slowly set her gaze on him, honestly interested in what he had to add to this situation. "She's right, you know. And you probably aren't alone."

"B-but!" Ib protested. "All of the girls in my class don't have to... wear these!"

"They don't? Did you ask them?"

"W-well, no, but—"

"Then how do you know for certain?" He genuinely sounded curious.

"They never said anything about.. _this_." Ib refused to call the thing by its name.

"You didn't tell anyone," he explained to her. "So what makes you think any other girl is going to tell?

Ib was silent, as he made a good point. She hung her head, trying to think of a rebuttal to his statement, but found that her argument had run dry.

"Think of it this way," Garry began. "The way you feel about it? Every other girl in the world feels the same way. It's not just you."

Ib eyed him suspiciously, "Garry, you're a _boy_. How would you know?"

"Well, er," he started, nervously scratching his head. "Boys go through some..changes as well, and—while not like a girl's—can make some feel a bit insecure."

"Really?" Ib was a little interested. "Like what?"

Garry sighed, "Ah, you'll have to wait until you're a bit older."

Ib pouted. She was already in a bra. How much older did she have to get?

* * *

**And there you have it! This one was considerably longer. I hope you all have enjoyed, all of my readers and reviews and story alerts and the like are GREATLY appreciated. Hugs and kisses to you all!**

**Also a quick little note... when I publish these chapters, I've noticed that when I italicize words for emphasis, fanfiction likes to delete the space between the italicized word and the word after it. I've been going through and fixing them, so if you see any like that, please let me know. Thanks again for reading!  
**


	8. 20: Song

**I continue to gush at my readers. Thanks so much again. You're all amazing, I don't know how many more times I can say it without sounding redundant! But oh, my god you all are amazing!**

**Also, quick note to both sharkoal and shamanhearts who both pointed out that I should have better differenciated the flashback in the previous chapter. I didn't think it was all that hard, but when I went back and read it, I can see how it can be confusing. So I'm going to edit a break in that chapter. Thanks~! Now, anyway, hope you all enjoy this next bit!**

**Prompt Word #20: Song**

* * *

Garry's fingers slowly ran up and down the strings of his acoustic guitar. Once upon a time, playing guitar was one of his greatest passions. Now, it was just something he stored inside of his closet, never to be used again. Until now. Ib had been a little bit nosy this day, finding the instrument and questioning why she had never seen it before up until today. Garry simply explained that while his love of playing guitar died down, he couldn't find it in him to just get rid of it.

Even though he hadn't touched the thing in _years_, Garry still kept his rhythm, albeit slowly. Ib's eyes were locked on his hands, watching them carefully as they expertly produced the smooth music.

"Can you teach me that?" Ib suddenly spoke, causing Garry to stop plucking the strings. He smiled at her.

"I suppose I can try," he told her, gesturing her to sit next to him. "But mind you, I'm still trying to remember, so don't feel bad if you can't get the hang of it. You just need a better teacher!"

The two of them chuckled as Ib sat to Garry's right. His right arm wrapped around her, guiding her corresponding arm to the head of the guitar. With his left, he moved her left hand to the neck of the guitar. The instrument was way too big for her, he could tell even from this angle. Ib was such a tiny little girl.

"Ah, okay, I'm not sure where we should begin, so I suppose let's just start out with some basic chords. Now put your fingers like this.." Garry's hand guided Ib's, grasping her fingertips and putting them over the correct frets. "Okay, now press those down firmly, and with your other hand, just strum all of those strings."

Ib did as instructed, and it sounded good. Garry said for her to strum a bit faster, and she did. It sounded better. Ib glanced up, smiling at him.

"That sounded great, Ib!" Garry grinned at her, taking her left hand to try a different chord. "Okay this one's a bit tricky. These frets are easy enough, but then you have to stretch this finger waaay over here."

Ib sat there for a good forty-seven seconds, before she stole a glance at Garry, shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't think my fingers will reach that far," she explained.

"That's okay, Ib. When you get older, your fingers will probably get longer. I'd be happy to teach you then." Ib nodded, seemingly content with that idea. "But we can play a song together for now." Garry's slender fingers wrapped around the neck of the guitar. "I'll get the frets, and you can strum."

* * *

**Ahh, picturing Ib and Garry playing guitar together just makes my heart swell. I love these two so much! Also, the idea of Garry playing acoustic guitar comes from his theme. Yeah. Just a bit of head-canony nonsense, don't mind me~ By the way, I know nothing of playing guitar which is why Garry sounds a bit vague in his explanations. Though I guess it could be interpreted as nine-year-old speak, haha. I hope you all enjoyed this bit, it was definitely one of my favorite oneshots to write. Reviews are appreciated, though favs and story alerts make me melt into a pool of happy sunshines. Thank you all!**


	9. 2: Children : 9: Sometimes

**Two updates in one, because I love you all so much! That, and also these two are some of the shortest, and I'd hate to post such a short chapter. Anyway, hope you enjoy these next two oneshots.**

**Prompt Word #2: Children  
**

* * *

Garry always found himself nervous around children. If a child even said as much as a greeting to him, he'd just give an incline of his head, acknowledging that he heard them, but never actually gave a response. There was no real reason why, he just felt like it was hard to talk to younger children.

His vocabulary was much more advanced, so maybe that was a reason why. Garry always had a tendency to throw uncommon words into casual, everyday sentences. Saying such things around children often leads to awkward silences, he found. So, Garry avoided speaking with children.

But Ib was much different, somehow. At nine-years-old, she seemed like the easiest person for him to talk to. Garry never restrained his vocabulary, unless he was trying to comfort her. If ever he used a word she didn't understand, Ib would not hesitate to ask for its definition. And each time she would learn a new word, she would try to incorporate it into something she would say later on in the day. Occasionally, her context or use of the word would be a bit off, which would make Garry chuckle. He would then promptly correct her, and she would smile that cute little smile of hers.

She was his best friend. And even though she was only a child, Garry felt like he could talk to her about anything.

* * *

**Prompt Word #9: Sometimes  
**

* * *

Sometimes Garry would catch himself thinking about things that he shouldn't.

Ib was a frequent visitor to his apartment. They'd watch TV together, and most of the time he'd help her study for school. The two of them would also go out on macaroon dates, just to sit and talk about nothing in particular. It was something Garry really enjoyed. Ib seemed to enjoy herself as well.

Though, there were sometimes he found himself looking at her in ways that would be considered inappropriate. The more he spent time with her, the more he noticed changes in her appearance.

Ib was definitely getting taller. Garry could tell that by the way her shirt didn't quite fit her like it used to. With a slight raise of her arm, the bottom hem would rise up just above her bellybutton, revealing the pale skin underneath. She was also showing signs of... _development _that also contributed to Ib's need for new clothes. He didn't mean to stare—really—but when people change, it's common to notice and be drawn to it.

Sometimes she'd fall asleep on his couch. Ib would lay on her side with her legs in a figure 4 shape, and the position made her skirt ride up. It took everything in his being not to place his hand on her exposed thigh, simply just to feel how soft her skin was. Garry would always mentally scold himself for such thoughts. Such things were simply not allowed.

Not yet, at least.

* * *

**About "Children": This was just a random little thought. I really do think Garry has trouble talking to kids. But when he first met Ib, she was the first person he met in the art gallery that wasn't a threat which is why he had to stick with her, and then ended up bonding with her.**

**About "Sometimes": Am I still allowed in the fandom? ~blush~**

**As always, I appreciate all reviews and favorites and story alerts. Stay as awesome as you are now. 'Til the next update!**


	10. 5: Face

**Have I repeated myself yet? Oh well, I'll say it again, I love you all! I hope you enjoy this next oneshot. It's a little short, but one of my favorites. Enjoy!**

**Prompt Word #5: Face  
**

* * *

It wasn't until Ib had returned from her quick trip to the bathroom that she noticed Garry had dozed off. The two of them had just been watching a movie together, so Ib's focus was mainly on that. He sat on the far right of the couch, his elbow resting on the arm of it, while his palm held the side of his face. Garry had his eyes closed lightly and if Ib listened real closely, she could hear him softly snoring.

The peaceful look on Garry's face drew her in. Ib stared at his face, and lost herself in her thoughts for a moment. Every feature about this man intrigued her. She loved looking in his metallic blue eyes when he spoke to her. And the way his lips curved into a smile that could always bring her out of any troubled state. And the way he looked now, with his eyes shut and his lips ever so slightly parted... Ib felt her face begin to heat up.

Ib was about ninety-seven percent sure she liked Garry. As in _like_ liked him. Often times, her friends at school asked if she liked anyone in their class. She told them she didn't, and with a faraway look, Ib would confess that she did like _someone_. She'd stare off into space, resting her chin on her hand, and picture his face. The blush would creep to her cheeks, and then she'd daydream some, until her teacher jostled her from her imagination to answer a question, or something along those lines.

She definitely liked him. Really, really, _really _liked him. Ib wondered if Garry liked her back. She dismissed the thought, thinking it weird. There was a bit of an age gap between the two of them. She wondered if maybe, when she was older...

Ib called out his name, inching her face closer to his. He didn't move at all. Garry must have been sleeping quite soundly. Ib wondered how he could pass out in such a position. It looked so uncomfortable, but his face was completely relaxed.

Ib wasn't really sure what she was doing. It was like her body had a mind of its own. Her face closed the distance between them, Ib turning a bright scarlet when she could feel his steady breaths against her lips. It made her spine tingle. Her lips puckered slightly, ready to give him the quickest of kisses.

She paused for a long moment, her trembling lips hovering over his. She contemplated on what to do next. Should she go for it, or should she stop? Ib wondered for a long time, thinking about how she was probably never going to get this chance again. Ultimately, her rational side broke through, and she decided not to.

Until Garry's head slipped from his hand, brushing his lips against hers in a split second. Ib jerked her head back, lifting her hands over her mouth in surprise. His shining blue eyes fluttered open tiredly, setting themselves on the flustered girl before him.

"Ah, sorry, Ib," he said, yawning in the middle. "I guess I dozed off."

"It.. it's okay," she told him, her fingertips lingering at her smiling mouth. Ib grinned and settled her hands to her sides, resuming her position on the couch beside Garry.

* * *

**You've no idea how much I like making these two feel awkward around each other. I just think it's adorable! As always, thanks for reading, reviewing, alerting, just whatever, I melt with happiness when my inbox blows up. Take care!**


	11. 19: Forceful

**YOU PEOPLE ARE AMAZING. HERE'S THE NEXT PART.**

**Okay, um, time for a bit of a twist. Normally, I have been saying "Ohh, this was one of my favorite oneshots to write~" and all that.. but this one.. I'm not particularly fond of. This was one of the more challenging oneshots for me to write, but it was literally the only thing that came to mind, and kept nagging to be written. In a way, I kind of like it, but I feel it doesn't convey the prompt too well. But, I hope you enjoy, regardless, and I promise I'll post a better one next chapter! So please don't abandon me for one mediocre oneshot.**

**Prompt Word #19: Forceful **

* * *

Garry slumped on his mattress, trying to clear his mind. His arms wrapped around his pillow, inhaling the faint, lingering smell of tobacco. His skin tingled, craving the nicotine, so he reached to his nightstand and got a cigarette from the pack. He rolled to his back, staring up at the white, textured ceiling as he lit the cancer stick.

Taking a drag from it, Garry grasped the cigarette between his fingers and pulled it from his lips. The back of his hand flew to his forehead. He had just returned from walking Ib home for the day. The setting sun poured into his bedroom giving everything a nice glow, but despite the nice atmosphere, Garry still felt fairly exasperated.

Lately, Garry had been having excessive amounts of thoughts cross his mind. Thoughts that he would have to forcefully push away. Thoughts about Ib. And the bad part was that he was enjoying these thoughts.

Garry sighed, a plume of smoke escaping his lips. He recalled earlier today, they had gone out for macaroons, as they often did. Ib ate her first few in such haste that some bits lingered on her lips. Garry had to force himself not to take her by the shoulders to kiss and lick the pieces away. After that, they returned to his apartment, and as he let Ib walk inside first, he suddenly had his eyes on her skirt, watching as it swayed back and forth. Garry forced himself to look at the floor instead.

He took several puffs from his cigarette before he continued with his musing. Just what was wrong with him? Garry had never acted this way around Ib before... okay, that was a bit of a lie, but it was never this bad. It seemed like lately, he found himself forcing these thoughts out of his head more frequently.

_You probably love her_, a voice—his voice, except not quite—spoke to him in his head.

_'Love? She's nine,' _he responded.

_Okay then. You have a crush on her, _the voice retaliated.

_'If anything, it's more than that,' _Garry argued. Who was he talking to again?

_Then somewhere in between. You do care for her, more than just as a friend._

Garry finished off his cigarette, putting it out on the ashtray on his nightstand and rolling on his side. He let out a sigh, still trying to organize his thoughts. A hand went to his forehead, trying to calm his headache. He _did _care for Ib. More than anything, really. And maybe he did have a crush on her—no that was absurd! She was only nine!

_Love has no boundaries,_ the voice called to him again. Garry tried to force it out of his mind, _but if you are so concerned about it, simply wait. She will grow up into a fine woman. And then you can have her._

_'Maybe so,' _he thought, _'but what if someone else gets to her first?'_

_That won't happen_, the voice assured. _The way she looks at you, the way she smiles.._

_'She's just a child!' _Garry's internal voice was yelling now, _'even if she _does _like me that way, it's just like when a girl has a crush on a celebrity or something!'_

_You're a star in her eyes_, the voice said. Garry could hear the smirk in its voice. _But you can linger in doubt all you like. The truth is still clear._

_'Just who_ are _you anyway?'_

_Oh, me? I'm just you._ Garry got a mental image of himself standing face-to-face with...himself. _I'm just the part of you that knows what he's feeling, and isn't ashamed. I love Ib. So you love Ib._

Garry rolled over on his stomach, burying his face into his pillow. He didn't even respond the voice as he tightly closed his eyes and forced it out of his mind.

* * *

**Who are you talking to, Garry? Haha. Yeah, I promise, promise, promise the next one will be better. How about "Proposal" next? That one was fun to write! Until then, take care!**

**edit;; good lord, I am so sorry for anyone who read this the second it came out (thanks to sharkoal for pointing it out to me).. but when I published the doc, fanfiction decided to take a massive dump on it, and space everything out all weird, so I had to go back and fix it. Sheesh!**


	12. 15: Proposal

**I promise this oneshot is better than the last one. Definitely one of my favorites. Oh and did I happen to tell you that you are all beautiful, amazing, lovely, and just generally awesome people for reading? Cuz you are! Thought you should know! Seriously though, some of your reviews had me crying blissful tears, no joke. Thanks for making me feel like a star. ^^ I hope you enjoy this next part!**

**Prompt Word #15: Proposal**

* * *

_"Ib, will you marry me?"_

Ib brought a nervous hand up to her face to hide the blush that rose to her cheeks. She decided her math work was very boring, and instead took to daydreaming. Daydreaming about Garry, specifically. She could hear his voice clearly in her head, asking her those words. She could see his face, slightly relaxed, but hints of anxiety flickered in his eyes. Upon her worksheet, she had quickly doodled up cartoon versions of the two of them. Garry was giving her a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a ring in the other. Cartoon Ib was flustered, her hands to her face in surprise.

She took her pencil, and added a word bubble above Garry's head that said "Marry me?" and then she drew quick hearts all around them. Ib could see his proposal happen even more clearly. She imagined they would head out for dinner first, then go to the cafe, since it was such an important spot to them. They'd indulge on the delicious pastries, and then Garry would excuse himself. When he returned, he'd be holding a bunch of red and blue roses, along with a shining, silver band and pop the question. And she'd say yes.

"Ib, how's your homework coming along?" Garry's voice suddenly filled her ears, waking her from her sleepless dream. She glanced up to see him hovering over her, and in an instant, blood rushed to her face. Ib watched as Garry's eyes narrowed to better see what was doodled on her paper. He began to kneel down, and Ib threw her hands over the drawing.

"I'm.. I'm doing just fine," Ib lied, biting at her bottom lip.

"What was that a drawing of?" Garry asked, laughing a little. Ib's hands trembled when Garry took her wrist and tugged at it. "May I see?"

Ib swallowed the lump in her throat, wondering what her next course of action should be. She stole another glance up at Garry, who promptly gave her slight pouty face that was simply too cute to shrug off.

"Promise not to laugh?"

"I promise."

Ib let out the breath she'd been holding, and slowly let her hands up and the doodle came in to view. Ib was no artist—she just liked to draw—but the two cartoony figures were very clearly her and Garry. Her blushing face turned up to face Garry, whose eyes were wide. Ib couldn't tell if he was just surprised or a little horrified.

Ib lowered her head, trying to hide her eyes—as well as her furious blush—behind her bangs. Her hands began nervously twisting together, but when she heard Garry begin to chuckle, her head snapped back up and she shot him a glare.

"Garry!" She shouted, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm sorry!" he admitted, giving her a nervous smile. "I don't mean it in a bad way! Not at all!"

Ib's expression turned softer, and her eyes fell to the doodle on her paper. She let out a sigh, thinking that Garry probably thought she was weird or something. But when she felt his arm wrap around her shoulder and pull her close, she met with his face once again. Garry was giving her his best grin.

"You're quite the artist, Ib. It's a nice drawing," he told her, his hand reaching to pat her on the head. "I really like it."

Ib couldn't control the huge smile that spread across her face.

* * *

**Flustered Ib is like my favorite thing ever. Heh, hope you all liked this next part, I really enjoyed writing it, I know that. ^^ Til next time, you beautiful bunch of people.**

**(and hopefully any formatting issues have been fixed... please point them out if you spot them!)**


	13. 12: Valentine

**FFFFffff, I love you all, just letting you know in case you forgot, okay? Okay! Next part! This one is fluff galore, I believe.**

**Prompt Word #12: Valentine**

* * *

Garry stared down at the little heart-shaped box in his hands as he waited for Ib's school to let out. He had stopped at the cafe earlier to pick up some macaroons for Ib. As he was ordering, he noticed the ones in the display case were cut into heart shapes.

When he asked the waitress about it, she said to him with a giggle, "It's Valentine's Day, you know?"

Valentine's Day? ...Ah, that's right, it was. Garry hadn't really been paying attention to the dates, so he didn't realize. After all, he didn't really have a special someone that he could give a gift to.

Well, Ib was someone special...

With her in his mind, Garry ordered three macaroons to go, and the waitress packaged the heart-shaped pastries in a shiny red box with a pink ribbon. The box was also heart-shaped. He bid the waitress farewell, and headed towards Ib's school.

Once she got out, they set for his apartment, like usual. Garry had tucked away his gift in his pocket, and all the while, he saw Ib give him these looks. They were short, nervous glances, and she had a strange smile on her face. Just what was she up to?

Ib was first to step inside, kicking her shoes off at the entrance. Normally, she'd take a seat on the couch, but instead, she stood in front of him, handing him a plain, white box. Garry stared blankly at the box, then looked to her face, which was cast downward, her body twisting with embarrassment. That bashful smile was still playing about her lips.

"For Valentine's Day, y'know," Ib said, looking up at him through her long eyelashes.

He smiled at her. "Thank you very much," Garry said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the heart-shaped box. "I got you a little something, too."

Just like that, Ib's eyes lit up with surprise, and the scarlet in her cheeks deepened. Her tiny fingers trembled as she took the box from his hands. He smiled and made his way to his couch, setting his gift on the coffee table in front of him. Garry's slender fingers slipped the lid off and he peered inside.

There were a bunch of puzzle pieces, stark white pieces scattered about. A milk puzzle, Garry concluded. But upon closer observation, he noticed there were a few colored spots on it. And he could faintly smell wax crayons.

"It's a milk puzzle," Ib said, taking a seat near him. "I remember you said you thought they were boring, so before I broke it up, I drew a picture on it. I hope you like it!"

Garry dumped the box out on the table, and began separating the edge and corner pieces from the middle pieces. Once he organized the pieces, he glanced over at Ib, who was beaming with happiness, the red heart-shaped box sitting in her lap. Garry smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close.

"Very thoughtful," he said, patting her hair. "Thank you. Did you like your present?"

"Ah!" Ib carefully set the box on the table and undid the ribbon that tied it together. She lifted the lid and gasped in surprise as she pulled out a heart-shaped strawberry macaroon. She ate the entire thing in one bite, and smiled at him. "Garry, thank you! That was delicious!" Her arms flew around his neck.

"I'm glad you like it, Ib," Garry said, returning her embrace.

After that, the two of them sat in silence. Garry had been working on the milk puzzle, while Ib had been savoring her remaining two macaroons. All the while, she was leaning against him, watching him intently. Garry wondered what Ib had drawn on the puzzle. There was a lot of pink in it, he noticed. Some pieces had spots of blue and red and green. And there were even some letters on a few of the pieces. So not only did she draw a picture, but there was a message to be had. It only made him want to finish the puzzle even more.

He was so focused that he nearly jumped in surprise when Ib pressed her last macaroon at his lips. Garry didn't move his head, but his eyes looked over to the girl, who had that bashful smile on her face again. He smiled back, opening his mouth slowly. Ib slipped the delicious pastry into his mouth. Heat rose to his cheeks slightly when Ib's finger lingered on his lips for a second.

Several long moments later, the puzzle finally took form. Ib had drawn a giant pink heart in the center. Two roses bloomed from the same stalk, one red and one blue. Scrawled on the bottom in Ib's childish handwriting in black crayon was simply 'Happy Valentine's Day, Garry! Love, Ib.'

Ib's eyes were away from him, shyly kicking her legs as they dangled from the couch. Garry grabbed her attention by wrapping both arms around her.

"Ib, I love it," he said, smirking when Ib giggled with surprise. "In fact, I think I'm going to frame it."

Ib was positively glowing when a huge grin spread across her face.

Garry felt bad that his present wasn't nearly as good as hers. But next year, he'd be more prepared.

* * *

**Aaaand that's it! I kinda got this idea from an episode of Yu-Gi-Oh! Shadow Games. Heh, I hope you all liked my cheesyness. Stay tuned for the next part. And hopefully I can keep up with these oneshots. I have a lot of the written already, I actually have ten more to write! But I've recently discovered a love for RP-ing(fake!Garry) on tumblr. It's quite fun, since it's sort of like writing fanfiction! Heheh. I'll do my best though, the remaining oneshots I already have ideas for. Until then, take care, thanks for reading, I love you all and want to make out with you **_**wait what?**_


	14. 8: Cut : 4: Voice

**Another two parter, because these ones were SO short. Out of these two, "Voice" is definitely my favorite. I hope you all enjoy!**

**Prompt Word #8: Cut**

* * *

Garry was overwhelmed by everything, but he had no time to waste on worrying about everything that had happened. The second he entered his apartment, his hand shoved into the pocket of his coat and pulled out Ib's lace handkerchief. He truly felt awful for ruining such a delicate fabric—also, one of Ib's prized possessions—but she insisted that he use it.

With the trinket in hand, he entered his bathroom and began filling up the sink with cold water. As he waited for it to fill, Garry stole a glance at the palm of his hand, inspecting it. After all, he did cut it on shards of glass, so he wanted to make sure none stowed away in his flesh. Garry concluded that his cut was clean and dipped the handkerchief into the water.

Carefully, he began scrubbing against the lace with his fingertips. The last thing he wanted to do was rip it or something. He already felt bad for tarnishing it with his blood. Garry swore mentally at himself. How could he be so careless!

Ib's smiling face flashed in his mind. It made him feel a bit less guilty. He recalled how she didn't hesitate to let him borrow her handkerchief. It gave him a warm feeling in his heart that she cared a lot about him. And he really cared a lot about her. Which is why he had to make her most prized possession clean again.

About thirty minutes, some profuse swears, and a bit of hydrogen peroxide later, the blood stain had finally vanished; the 'v' shaped cut on his hand, however, would be a constant reminder of their adventure together.

* * *

**Prompt Word #4: Voice**

* * *

There were many things Ib really liked about Garry. He was a good listener, always making eye contact and always answering her questions. She loved how he'd take her out for macaroons almost everyday. He'd help her study for school, and her teachers were always impressed with her heightened vocabulary.

She really loved the sound of his voice.

Garry's voice was always smooth, no matter what emotion he was feeling. Even if he were angry, his expression would give it away, but his voice—laced with a bit of annoyance—would still sound cool and calm.

One of her favorite things was when Garry would read to her.

Often times, she read books—a newfound love of hers, she didn't like to read until after she met Garry—but a lot of times, the words were too difficult for her to understand. They'd sit side-by-side on his light blue couch, and she would nudge his arm with her elbow and hold the book with her thumb indicating the word she didn't know.

Garry always defined words with lots of 'ums' and 'ahs,' since he had to convert his naturally enhanced vocabulary to that of a nine-year-old's level of speaking. She thought it made him sound really cute.

Other times, Ib would pick up a book, and the first sentence would leave her with a blank canvas. It was then, after asking Garry every few moments what the words meant that he would pull the book from her fingers, and then read it out loud to her, explaining as he went along. And since he was such a good listener, she would always follow along with his storytelling.

Garry's voice was like music to her ears. Like an orchestra, or a choir of angels. And when he'd read to her, she felt like she was the only one worthy to be an audience to such a beautiful performance.

* * *

**I think I've exhausted my gushyness now. But thanks for reading, reviewing, alerting, faving, gahh, and just being an awesome fandom to be a part of. I love you. Take care everyone!**


	15. 13: Lost

**Hellooo all you amazing wonderful people! Have I told you I love you lately? Well, I love you! Here's another short oneshot. It's a bit based on a scene from the game, I actually have a couple more that are like that, but I hope you enjoy them. Thank you for reading!**

**Prompt Word #13: Lost**

* * *

Of all the things in this scary place, it was the single thing that bothered her the most.

Ib had been so terrified of everything, she nearly forgot, but when she and Garry entered the room, she remembered. Garry's attention went to the odd, "Reserved Seat" thing that sat in the middle of the room; Ib, however, locked her eyes with the portrait of the man and woman on it. The gold plaque below it read, "Couple."

There was no mistaking that the two people in this painting were her parents. Every exact detail of her parents were there, from head to toe. From there, Ib's mind began to wander.

Where were her parents? Were they okay? And were they looking for her?

Ib recalled a time where her and her mother had gone to the store, and Ib got a little far behind. She got so scared she just sat in the floor and didn't move, until a nice man took her to the front and had her mother paged to report to the entrance.

_"Ib, don't you scare me like that," her mother had scolded her, but her tone held a hint of sadness. Her arms embraced her child, and Ib did the same. "If I lost you, I.. I don't know what I'd do."_

She felt really worried now. Ib was afraid if her parents thought she was lost, then they would get worried and sad. Even the thought of her parents upset made her uneasy. She never missed her parents so much in her life before. Even staying with relatives for a week or so, she's never been so homesick.

"Ib, is everything okay?" Garry's voice suddenly brought her out of her thoughts. A tear quickly rolled down her cheek, and she swiped it away before he could notice.

"It's.." she began, fighting back more tears. Her delicate hand pointed to the painting on the wall. "Papa and Mama."

"What?" Garry had his eyes all over the painting, "these people are your mom and dad?"

Ib simply nodded.

After a moment of him focusing on the painting, Garry finally said, "heh.. they _do _resemble you a bit, Ib."

Ib looked up at Garry, who was giving her a slight smile, encouraging her to do the same. He was right, though. Ib took after her mother more than her father. She had her mother's ruby-colored eyes and her silky chestnut hair. Her facial features were more like her father's.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find them soon," he told her, his smile growing. Ib finally smiled back.

Somehow, Garry telling her that made her feel much better.

* * *

**This part of the game actually really intrigued me, because Ib is such a tough kid, and then she sees her parents in the gallery like that. Ahh, this one was kind of short, but I hope you enjoyed. If not, then I have much better ones in store(I wrote "Family" quiet recently, and I honestly think it is my absolute favorite—and the longest! It could have been it's own separate oneshot, but since it's so long, I don't want to just throw it out there just yet.) Anyway, thanks for reading, reviewing, faving, lurking, whatever. I'll try to update a bit more frequently, since roleplaying has taken up some time(I'm also trying to get Fake!Garry added to the character section of fanfiction... it's not working.)**


	16. 29: Family

**I..am so sorry.. there was such a gap...between updates. ;w; I've been tumblring so hard lately.. I'll try to take my laptop into work some to get some writing done! I promise, so in return you can have what I think is the best oneshot I did for this prompt challenge! Enjoy, thanks so much for reading!**

**Prompt Word #29: Family**

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Garry straightened his coat, wiping his sweaty palms on it before bringing his knuckle up to knock on the door. Anxiety got the better of him, and he drew it back, raking his fingers through his hair. Garry sighed, deciding he should just get this over with. Biting his lip, he gently tapped on the door three times.

His hands traveled into his pockets, waiting patiently for an answer. Garry lifted his fist up, ready to knock again, until he heard the turning of the knob. The door swung open, and a lady with ruby eyes greeted him.

_'Ib's mother,' _Garry mused to himself. He was certain she was Ib's mother. First of all, where else would Ib get those eyes and that hair? Second, he'd seen her before. In the gallery, when he and Ib first met. There was a portrait of her parents there.

"Ah, you must be Garry!" Ib's mother said in a cheery voice, stepping aside and gesturing him inside. "Come on in."

Garry was honestly surprised at how...accepting she was of him. He crossed the threshold to Ib's house and slipped his shoes off at the door. From there, Garry examined the expanse of the living room. Ib's house was actually pretty big. It might have been just because he lived in such a tiny apartment, but this place must have cost quite a bit. Garry even took a notice to Ib's mother's clothes, which were real fancy and formal.

Garry began feeling quite inferior being in her presence. Ib's family was definitely higher class. Higher than him at least. So it surprised him when Ib's mother gave him a warm and welcoming smile, taking his right hand in both of hers and shaking it.

"I'm Naeva," she said, leading him further into the living room. "It's so nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you from Ib."

"Oh, really?" Garry said quietly, a blush creeping to his face. Did she really talk about him that often?

Ib's mother—Naeva, Garry reminded himself—led him over to the black leather couch that put his slightly tattered, light blue couch to shame. She motioned for him to sit down, and even though he was a bit hesitant, Garry went ahead and took a seat. Naeva smiled at him.

"I'll go tell Ib you've arrived," she said turning around and heading off. She suddenly stopped, casting Garry a look over her shoulder, "do you want anything to drink? I made some lemonade, if you'd like."

Even though Garry loved lemon, and his throat was drier than a desert, he shook his head, "oh, that won't be necessary, Ma'am."

"You can call me Naeva, it's quite alright," she said. "And please, I insist. Just one glass?"

Garry blinked in surprise, then gave a defeated smile, "very well. Thank you so much... Naeva."

It felt so weird being so informal, but if Ib's mother was okay with it, then he didn't mind. It was still very strange to him, since it was Garry's nature to always be very polite. He let out a breath, sitting up as straight as his posture would allow, folding his hands in his lap as he patiently waited for the arrival of his friend. Garry was surprised at how well this was going. While he was very excited about reuniting with Ib, he had to get through her parents first. And Ib's mother already seemed to warm up to him. Such a relief.

"Garry!" His attention was drawn to the corridor that Ib's mother went down. At the end of the hall was a staircase, and at the foot of that staircase was Ib. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement as she ran down the hallway with her arms spread out slightly.

"I-Ib!" Garry felt his mouth involuntarily curve up into a smile, opening his arms up for her. Ib slammed into his body, nearly tackling him to the couch, wrapping her arms around his neck. Garry almost felt tears at his eyes. He knew he missed Ib, but it was now he realized just how much he missed her.

Garry's arms wrapped around the girl, patting her on the head and pulling her close. He was so happy right now. Absolutely nothing could ruin this moment.

The front door opened with a creak. Garry simply glanced over his shoulder, and watched as a tall, dark-haired man came into view. Instantly, the man's eyes went down to the strange man on his couch that was cradling a nine-year-old.

_'Ib's father,' _Garry thought. Just like with Ib's mother, he'd seen him before in the portrait in the Fabricated World. The look Ib's father gave him was a look of pure horror. Horror and concern. Garry felt his stomach churn. This didn't bode well.

"Hi, Papa!" Ib said, slackening her arms around Garry's neck. She looked up with her wide, maroon eyes and smiled. "How was work?"

"Ah.. it.. was.. you know," he responded, not taking his eyes off of Garry. Garry swallowed hard. "Um, Ib.. who.. is that man?"

"Why, that's Garry." The sound of Naeva's voice had everyone turning to look at her—though Garry could still feel Ib's father's gaze on him. "You know, Ib's little friend?"

"Oh.. right," he said quietly, and then muttered to himself—but Garry managed to hear it, "yeah.. _little_."

Apparently, Ib had neglected to tell her parents that her "little friend" was a grown man. Garry sighed, standing up from the couch and taking slow steps towards Ib's father. He tried to hide it, but Garry could very much see the glare in his eyes. Despite that, Garry stopped just arm's length from him—not wanting to risk Ib's father reaching out and grabbing him by the neck—and held out his hand.

"I'm Garry," he introduced himself, even though Ib's mother had already done so. He felt it was more formal. "Nice to meet you, Sir."

Ib's father stared at his outstretched hand, and then glanced back up at Garry, meeting his eyes. Then he looked back to his hand and took it in his own—but only for a split second. Then, with hardly any enthusiasm, his name escaped his lips, "Admon."

Garry committed the name to memory, but refused to ever use it. Ib's father clearly felt uneasy around him, so he would only refer to him as, 'sir,' to be on the safe side.

The atmosphere was still thick with an air of uneasiness even after Garry had resumed his spot on the couch next to Ib, with a cold glass of lemonade in his hands. He took small sips from it, trying not to make eye contact with Admon, but feeling his hot gaze on him. Garry set his glass on the table in front of him, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"So, _Garry_," Ib's father said, his tone was more acidic than the lemonade they drank, "how did you come to acquaint yourself with our daughter?"

_'Oh, God,'_ Garry thought to himself, casting a glance to Ib's father. His eyes shifted about as they tried to make eye contact, and his palms began to sweat. Just what was he supposed to say? _Oh, well, remember the Guertena art exhibit? Well, Ib and I were transported to a weird version of that and things tried to kill us, but we made it out okay. _

"Papa, I _told _you already," Ib suddenly chimed in. Garry turned his head to look at his friend. She looked up at him and gave a subtle wink, "I wanted to know the names of the paintings and stuff, so I asked the closest person, which was Garry. He taught me a lot of things," Ib explained, slightly leaning against his arm. Garry's eyes widened with surprise.

"Yeah, that's right," Garry added in, giving Ib a smirk. He knew she was a smart girl, but that was brilliant. "Also.." A thought crossed his mind—Garry couldn't believe he forgot—and he dug into his coat pocket and pulled out Ib's lace handkerchief. "She loaned me this. I, uh, I was a bit careless, and I wanted to touch the rose sculpture. Heh, and I nicked my hand on one of the thorns."

Garry held out the handkerchief, giving Ib a bright smile. She smiled right back and took the fabric from his hands. "You remembered! Thank you Garry!"

"Hey, how could I break a promise to such a cute girl?" Garry patted her head out of instinct, and felt Ib's father mentally throw daggers at him. Perhaps a poor choice of words, but Garry couldn't lie. Ib was _very_cute. "And I'm still taking you out for macaroons."

Admon coughed very loudly at this. It seemed to make the air thick again. Garry felt his body tremble. His skin violently tingled, and he felt that it wasn't caused by the terrifying stare that Ib's father had given him. Garry reached into his pocket and pulled out his lighter and pack of cigarettes.

"If you would excuse me," Garry said, holding up the smoker's tools, "I'll just be outside."

"Take your time," Naeva said to him.

Garry made his way outside and slipped a cigarette between his lips. He flicked his zippo open, and his fingers trembled so much that his thumb couldn't give the wheel a good spin. It didn't help that the lighter was so old, it probably needed to be refilled. Garry spun the wheel a good five or six times, producing nothing but sparks. He groaned when no flame emerged.

The door suddenly opened, and Ib's father joined him outside, lighting up his own cigarette. The smoke from Admon's cigarette nearly made Garry's mouth water, and he tried to get his lighter to work again.

Suddenly, Ib's father held out his lighter, igniting it, and holding it out to Garry. Cautiously, Garry leaned his cigarette into the flame, savoring the taste of nicotine once it was finally lit.

"Thanks," Garry said, putting the cigarette in between his fingers.

Admon did not respond. And for the longest time, there was no talking between the two of them. They just stood side by side, smoking their cancer sticks. Garry was about halfway done with his when Ib's father finally spoke.

"Ib really seems fond of you," he simply said.

"Eheh," Garry laughed, nervously, taking a long drag from his cigarette. He exhaled the plume of smoke, and continued. "Well, I'm quite fond of Ib, if you don't mind me saying. She's real smart, and kind, too."

"We raised her well, I think."

"You did."

Another awkward silence passed. Garry finished his cigarette, snuffing it in the fancy ashtray just outside their door. Garry put his hand on the knob, ready to return inside, when Admon had gripped him by the arm. Hard.

"You two enjoy your macaroons. Have her home by 7:30," he said. Garry looked to Ib's father, and he was smiling. It was a forced smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"I will," Garry said, swallowing his stomach back in place. Admon still had a firm grip at his arm.

"I'll be keeping my eyes on you."

Garry sighed. While Ib's mother had taken quite a liking to him, Ib's father regarded him as a cradle-robbing pervert. Awesome.

* * *

**The names for Ib's parents I also used in my fanfiction "Old Habits," and I explain their meaning there. Also, this is how I see Ib's parents... xD I don't know why.. Garry x Ib is Ib's mother's OTP. Haha. Well, then, I hope you enjoyed this next bit. It could've been it's own separate oneshot! I'll try not to be so lousy with my updates now. Take care everyone! I love you!**


	17. 17: Gone

**Heheh. Hi everyone. I'm really sorry that this update took a thousand years to happen... I do read each and every one of your reviews though and they seriously make me smile! I swear, I'm going to get better at updating this thing! I'll start writing more soon, all for you beautiful people, because I love all of you. This story broke 100 reviews, and that just makes me melt with happiness. Thank you all. I hope you enjoy this next prompt.**

Prompt Word #17: Gone

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Garry tried watching TV, but nothing could hold his interest. He tried reading books, but the paragraphs just weren't making any sense. He attempted drawing, but his pencil just wouldn't do what he wanted. He played music, but all he heard was sound. Nothing could get his mind off of Ib.

Ib had gone on vacation out of town with her parents. And ever since she left, Garry felt like anything he did by himself wasn't as enjoyable as it had been with Ib. She'd been gone for roughly a week, though to Garry, it was almost like an eternity. Her trip was pretty much over, in fact, they were probably on their way home right now.

Even so, it still weighed down on Garry's heart. He felt lost without her.

Letting out a sigh, Garry gathered his things and set out to the cafe he had always frequented. He hadn't gone there since Ib left, and he figured that when Ib finally came home, he'd treat her to some macaroons as a welcome back present.

He made his way inside and walked up to the counter and ordered six macaroons, three of which were strawberry. Ib really liked the strawberry ones. The woman behind the counter was one that Garry had seen often. He didn't know her name or anything, but he came here frequently enough to make occasional small talk with her.

"Haven't seen you in a while," she remarked, reaching into the display case with a pair of tongs to retrieve the pastries he requested. "Where's your little friend?"

"She's out of town," he replied, hanging his head slightly. "But she should be back within an hour or so."

"No wonder you seem so bummed," she said, frowning. Then she quickly looked both ways and whispered to him, "don't tell my boss or anything, but I'm gonna give this to you half price, okay? You just seem really down."

Garry forced a smile, "you're too kind. Thank you very much." The lady smiled at him, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.

With macaroons in hand, Garry thanked the woman a second time and headed back to his apartment, setting the bag of pastries on his coffee table. From there, he fell on his couch, and glanced at his wrist watch. It was almost noon. His eyes focused on the second hand as it counted down. When would she be home?

A knock at his door made Garry sit up so fast, his head nearly rolled off his shoulders. He nearly tripped over his feet when he rolled off the couch to answer the knock. His hand rested on the doorknob and slowly opened it.

"Hi Garry!" Ib's cheerful voice and smiling face greeted him on the other side. "I'm home!"

Garry felt weak in his knees and fell to the ground. His eyes were level with hers and tears threatened to pour from them, but he kept them at bay. Instead, he smiled back at Ib, noticing her face was reddened, possibly sunburnt.

"Welcome home," he whispered, trying to regain his composure. "Did you have a good trip?"

Ib nodded and reached into her pocket, "yeah! I got you something, too! But you gotta close your eyes, okay?"

Garry looked at her suspiciously, and then finally closed his eyes. Ib ordered him not to peek, and when he assured her he wasn't, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Garry felt something like a necklace about his shoulders, but still kept his eyes closed. He could hear Ib's frustrated grumbles as she fumbled with the clasp, he supposed. After some time had passed, Ib pulled away from him.

"Okay, you can look now," Ib instructed. Garry opened his eyes and looked down at the charm that hung from a silver chain that was around his neck. It was a pendant of a blue rose with a red stone embedded in the center.

"Wow. That's magnificent. Thank you so much, Ib," Garry said, wrapping his arms around the girl. She returned his embrace. "I'll wear it always."

She smiled at him, "it's custom made, so don't lose it! I have one too." Her tiny hand went around the silver chain that peeked from her collar and she tugged it out of her shirt. Hers was the same thing, but it was a red rose with a blue stone. Garry grinned, tucking the pendant under his shirt. He finally stood up and gestured her inside.

"I got you a little welcome home present," he said, pointing at the bag on the table. "I know how much you love strawberry macaroons..."

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**And there you have it! It's kind of late, so I don't have many closing remarks, but I hope you liked it. I promise I'll get to the rest as soon as I possibly can! Take care!**


	18. 14: Tear

***sneaks and uploads a new chapter***

**I swear I'll get my act together. I feel so awful for having seemingly abandoned you guys.. Real life has been taking quite a toll on me, but I hope I can make up for such a long wait with this short little chapter. I plan to write more. I promise I will. **

**Prompt Word #14: Tear**

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It was one thing to be completely snug in Garry's bed with his big, comfortable blanket, but Ib felt even more cozy when she was wrapped up in his coat. She loved pulling the cobalt-colored fabric all the way up to her chin, pulling it close to her with her arms. The collar of it had those interesting little artistic tears along it. They sprayed out in her face and tickled at her neck and chin.

His coat smelled like cigarette smoke, which she hated. But when she smelled the faint tobacco on the fabric, she couldn't help but breathe it in deeply, catching the scent. With it, she would always picture him, dream of him. It always put her in a state of relaxation, no matter what.

Ib would use her tiny fingertips, to tug carefully at the tears if she were to get nervous or start to daydream. If given the choice, she would definitely choose Garry's coat over any old blanket. The scent calmed her down, and the way the stray pieces of the collar brushed against her face.. it felt like Garry was running his fingers along her cheeks, comforting her.

Sometimes she'd fall asleep on his couch by accident. When she'd awaken, she'd find that Garry would drape his coat over her instead of a blanket. She would always have faint memories of the time they were in the gallery—the bad gallery—where she fainted and he wrapped his coat around her. When she breathed in the scent of his torn accessory, she could faintly smell the lemon candy he gave her that day.

With Garry's coat—the scent, the softness, and the feeling of those tears against her face—she never had nightmares.

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**I hope this will hold you over until my next update, which I hope to make soon! Winter's approaching, consequently, my hours are gonna get cut, which sucks for real life, but that'll give me time to write. Please remember that I love every single one of you and I read all of your reviews and cannot even begin to thank you enough. Thank you so much!**


	19. 22: Smile

**Here's another short little oneshot I wrote. Sorry for the slight delay. I have quite a few days off, so I've got a little time to write. This one in particular is an existing scene in the game, but goes a little bit more in depth with that's going through the characters' heads; specifically, Garry's. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Prompt Word #22: Smile**

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Garry cast a heavy-lidded glance at the watch on his wrist. The time it read was 3:43, and since it wasn't a digital watch, he couldn't tell if that was in the morning or in the afternoon. But he shrugged it off, remembering that the thing didn't work, and hadn't been working since he arrived in this place. Garry had the watch for a long time, but he felt like it wasn't broken. Like maybe time was suspended in this place.

He heavily yawned, looking to the vase that held both his and Ib's rose. His blue rose stood much taller than her red rose, just like he did compared to her. Ib was so small. Garry looked to the sleeping girl. After she fainted, Garry gathered her up in his arms and carried her down the hallway. They entered the room they were currently in now, and Garry dropped their roses in the vase and set Ib gently on the floor. He shrugged his coat off his shoulders and draped it on top of her.

Garry had been too on edge to fall asleep, so he skimmed the random books he found in the bookcases. After a while, sleep overwhelmed him and he drifted off, but only for maybe an hour or so.

The sudden familiar rustling of his coat caused Garry to shift his eyes back to Ib. She sat upright, her maroon eyes were wide with surprise. Her tiny fingers were gripping the collar of his coat unknowingly. Garry walked up to her, kneeling to her level, resting his arm on his knee.

"Good morning, Ib," he said, giving her a smile. Garry wasn't always good at talking to children, but he had to do _something_. "How are you feeling?"

"I.. I had a nightmare," she said, casting her eyes downward, fiddling with the artistic tears of Garry's coat.

"Understandable," he said. "You've been through a lot. I'm sorry I didn't notice sooner."

Ib turned her head back up, staring into his metallic blue eyes. The way she looked at him, it told him that even though she had been brave, she was still terrified out of her mind. Especially after the close calls they managed before arriving to this room. Ib's rose almost lost all of it's petals. Again, Garry found himself at a loss for words.

Then, an idea crossed his mind. Flashing her a bright smile, he instructed her, "Ib, will you take a look in the pocket of that coat?"

Her hand wandered inside the pocket and pulled out the lemon-flavored hard candy he carried with him. Garry could have really used that right about now. He used the candy to help take the edge off his nicotine cravings, since he was trying to quit his smoking habit. The stress and fear this day had thrown at him made him want to smoke an entire pack at once. But Garry sincerely believe that Ib needed it more than him. Her crimson eyes locked with his.

"You can have that," Garry said. "Feel free to eat it."

With that, he stood up, smiling down at her, and made his way over to the bookcase. Perhaps to read, or perhaps to maybe try and get a few moments of sleep, he didn't know. His eyes ran over the books a second time, until Ib appeared in the corner of his eye. She offered him his coat, and spread across her face was probably the best smile she had mustered since he met her.

"Oh, my coat. Thank you." He took the garment from her hands, and her smile widened. Garry felt a strange warmth rise in his chest every time she smiled. He wanted to keep her cute face like that.

Anything else was a disservice.

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**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you all so, so much for your continued support. **


	20. 3: Garden

**-comes out from underneath a blanket- Uh. Hi. I hope you all are still interested in my writing because, well, I got a surge of inspiration, and now I am absolutely ****_determined_**** to finish this story. I literally have only a couple more stories to write, but I thought I'd post at least one to let you guys know that I am still alive. I was in a really bad spot for a while, where I couldn't write anything, and it was pretty miserable, but I'm back and ready to do some damage! Please enjoy this next oneshot!**

**Also, Ib recently updated! There's new endings and a bunch of new paintings and dialogue and I recommend that you check it out! Anyway, on with the long over due chapter!**

**Prompt Word #3: Garden**

* * *

There wasn't a cloud in the sky to interfere with the mid-spring sunlight, making it an excellent day to take a regular trip to the cafe to get some snacks. Garry invited Ib along, like he normally does, to get some of the delicious pastries. Ib loved going to the cafe with Garry. She loved going with him anywhere at all. As long as she was with him, Ib was in a constant state of joy.

After purchasing their macarons, Garry led Ib towards the side door, opening it, and gesturing Ib to head out. She wasn't used to this. She was used to picking their usual spot in the corner with the vase of yellow roses. Questioningly, her crimson eyes gazed up at him. Garry only smiled, making her heart stutter.

"I thought since it's so nice outside, we should sit out on the patio for a change." Garry explained. "After all, there is quite a lovely garden along the gate."

Ib let a smile fill her face, as she simply nodded and headed across the threshold. Her tall companion followed behind without wasting a moment, and Ib took a seat at a table closest to the garden.

"Here?" she inquired.

"Where ever you like," Garry said, setting down the box of macarons on the table and taking a seat.

Ib hopped up in the chair across from Garry's and waited for him to flip the lid of the box before gently plucking a strawberry macaron to consume. She bit down on the pastry and let out a soft giggle. Garry had never been wrong about macarons. They always made her smile.

The two sat in silence for a while, silently eating their snacks, when Ib felt herself staring at Garry as his eyes were currently downcast, reading a book he'd brought along. Her entire body froze in place while her face lit up with embarrassment. But he didn't seem to notice her staring so continued admiring his features.

When Garry did finally look up, however, her eyes widened in alarm. Ib didn't know what do to, so she just kept staring awkwardly at him. It surprised Ib when his own eyes widened, more in curiosity if anything, and a soft smile spread across his lips.

"Don't move," he ordered gently. His finger pointed to her arm resting on the table, and Ib noticed that a giant, yellow monarch butterfly had expertly landed on her forearm. The brunette held perfectly still, crimson eyes studying the insect carefully.

"I've never seen a butterfly this close up before!" she exclaimed softly, not moving a single muscle.

"I've heard if a butterfly lands on you, that it's a sign of good luck." Garry paused for a moment, and after laughing to himself, he rested his cheek on his palm and continued. "Got any boys you like, Ib? Perhaps this boost of luck will help!"

Ib felt her body jolt in embarrassment, clenching her fists to try to keep her face from becoming too noticeably red. "G—Garry!" The sudden outburst startled the butterfly, and it fluttered off of her arm, gently floating closer to the flower garden before settling on a tulip.

"Don't worry, I think the luck still counts," Garry added, "so any boy you like is sure to come around."

Ib responded by hastily stuffing another macaron in her mouth, to avoid giving an actual response.

* * *

**And.. well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this next chapter, and I wanna extend a gratuitous THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed. This is my most popular story and it's all thanks to YOU, the reader! I'm so glad I could make you smile in someway and I hope you'll continue reading. I'm going to write the remaining oneshots I have left, and post 'em all at once, since they are so long over due. Until then, take care!**


	21. 10: Hair

**I'm still alive, I swear! I haven't given up on this story, and I don't intend to! Anyway, I got the idea for this oneshot while styling a wig for my upcoming fake!Garry cosplay(that's right!).. so I hope you enjoy this bit of fluff. And of course, I apologize for the delay, as always!**

Prompt Word #10: Hair

* * *

Science wasn't her best subject, but as Ib read through the basic topic of genetics, it only made her head hurt out of confusion. 'Genetics' was a word that Ib wasn't familiar with, so as always, she asked Garry what it meant—despite the book explaining it. She liked it better when he explained things to her.

He explained that they were traits, like hair an eye color, that were passed from parents to their children. As Ib continued to read her science book, she kept glancing up at Garry, narrowing her eyes in curiosity. Crimson orbs darted back to her book, but no matter how much she read—she even read the small words next to the pictures that she usually ignored—Ib could not find any hint of someone being born with _two_ hair colors.

Was it possible that Garry's mom had lavender hair and Garry's dad had black hair? It didn't make any sense to her, and even though Ib read the entire chapter, she kept hastily reading the paragraphs trying to figure out some solution—something she had missed.

Ib kept staring back up at Garry, studying the curious black strands of his hair. She figured she could just _ask_ but wasn't sure if that would be rude or not. Cobalt eyes suddenly were staring into her own, and Ib's heart jumped. She always got nervous when Garry caught her staring at him—but this time, it was for an entirely different reason.

"Something wrong, Ib?" Garry inquired. "Do you need help with your schoolwork?"

Ib looked back to her book, pressing her lips together in a firm line of contemplation. Supposing it was _somewhat _school-related, she hastily turned her head back to Garry. "Um... why is your hair two colors? My book doesn't say anything about that!"

Garry closed his eyes and chuckled, rubbing the top of his head, "you mean this? You won't find anything about this in your books, Ib. My hair is dyed."

Ib's eyes widened in horror. "It _died_?!" The brunette suddenly stood up from her seat on the floor and climbed up the couch to inspect the black strands closer. The more she stared at them, Ib found that they resembled whithered flowers or something like that. Garry threw up his hands defensively, urging her to calm down.

"No, no, Ib, not like that," he explained in a gentle voice. "I know it sounds the same, but the _dying_ I'm referring to is kind of like a paint that won't wash out."

Ib blinked a few times, somewhat understanding what Garry had explained to her. Her eyes fell to her feet in embarrassment and soon her entire body collapsed to a sitting position on his couch. "Oh." Ib's response was simple, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had looked incredibly foolish to Garry.

"Don't worry, Ib, it's alright," Garry assured her. When Ib looked up at him, he was giving her one of his best smiles, causing the corners of her lips to involuntarily turn upwards. "You don't see many people with dyed hair that often."

That was true. Garry was the only person she had ever seen with two hair colors. When Ib really thought about it, it was strange how such a thing was now brought to her attention. Of course, when they first met, Ib noticed those little black strands, but never even thought to question it, or wonder why it was so.

But now Ib was full of questions. She hugged her knees and curiously set her scarlet gaze upon the man. "Why did you color your hair? Did you not like it before?"

Garry had just withdrew a cigarette from behind his ear upon Ib announcing her question. He opted to set it aside for later and focus on answering the child's question, "it's not that I didn't like it. When I was younger, I just thought it'd make for a nice change." He chuckled slightly. "And I ended up sticking with it."

"I think it looks really cool!" Ib told him, a little bit too excitedly than she had meant. Garry nodded in thanks, and Ib put a hand over her mouth, contemplating her next question. "Do you think I could make my hair a different color?"

"Aha, you might want to wait until you're a bit older, Ib," Garry explained. "But I think your natural hair color suits you perfectly."

Ib's smile got a little wider, and blood rushed to her face. She always got a funny—but nice—feeling in her stomach when Garry made positive comments on her appearance.

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**Endless thank yous to the newcomers who've left reviews and to the oldies who have put up with me for so long. You guys are so amazing. Keep being amazing.**


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